Written Answers Wednesday 30 November 2005

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers are entitled to single farm payments.

Ross Finnie: In November 2004, the Environment and Rural Development Department calculated that 22,169 farm businesses had earned single farm payment entitlements from their activities in the reference period 2000 to 2002. Of these, 21,924 businesses have submitted claims, which are being checked.

Agriculture

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications from farmers for single farm payments are still awaiting determination.

Ross Finnie: As at 29 November, of the 21,924 claims submitted 11,125 (51%) are in the process of being determined or validated. For 10,799 (49%) validation is complete.

Agriculture

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers are entitled to single farm payments based on ownership or use of land between 0.3 and 0.4 hectares.

Ross Finnie: Twenty-four farm businesses have submitted claims or sought to establish their rights to payment entitlements under the single farm payment scheme based on total eligible land of between 0.3 and 0.4 hectares.

Autism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been awarded by its Health Department in respect of autistic spectrum disorders in the last six years, broken down by (a) individual award and (b) NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is given in a table giving details of funding awarded by the health department in respect of autism spectrum disorders, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38182).

Autism

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been awarded by its Education Department in respect of autistic spectrum disorders in the last six years, broken down by (a) individual award and (b) local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has been making project grant awards to individual voluntary sector organisations in respect of additional support needs since April 1999. The awards are made on the basis of a two or three year cycle. The following table shows the amounts awarded to organisations for autistic spectrum disorder projects.

  

Organisation
1999-2002
2002-04
2004-07


Scottish Society for Autism
£207,000
£208,249
 


National Autistic Society
£254,000
£359,475
£378,265


Parent 2 Parent Tayside
£42,000
 
 


University of Strathclyde
£87,510
 
 



  The information requested in relation to funding awarded to local authorities in respect of autistic spectrum disorders is not held centrally. The main Scottish Executive support for local authority net revenue expenditure on additional support needs, including autistic spectrum disorders, is provided through the Revenue Support grant. This is an unhypothecated grant and expenditure on individual areas is a matter for each authority taking into account local needs and priorities. For information on the latest allocations of grant to individual local authorities, I refer you to the Scottish Executive’s Finance Circular 8/2005 which can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/17999/11203.

  Previous Circulars dating back to 2002 are also available on this site.

Autism

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been awarded by its Justice Department in respect of autistic spectrum disorders in the last six years, broken down by individual award.

Cathy Jamieson: The Justice Department has not provided specific funding in respect of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). However, funding for ASD has been given through the Scottish Executive’s Health and Education Departments. I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-20805 and S2W-20806 on 30 November 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Autism

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been awarded by its Development Department in respect of autistic spectrum disorders in the last six years, broken down by (a) individual award and (b) local authority area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Development Department has not provided direct funding in respect of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). However, funding for ASD has been given through the Scottish Executive’s Health and Education Departments. I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-20805 and S2W-20806 on 30 November 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Council Tax

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage change in (a) central government funding for local government and (b) council tax bills has been for each year since 1997, broken down by local authority.

George Lyon: Tables showing the percentage changes in (a) central government funding for local government and (b) average Band D council tax for the period requested are shown in the following tables.

  Percentage Change in Central Government Funding for Local Government

  

 
1996-97 to
1997-98
1997-98 to
1998-99
1998-99 to
1999-2000
1999-2000 to 
2000-01
2000-01 to 
2001-02


Scotland
-2.3%
0.7%
4.3%
2.5%
7.6%


Aberdeen City
-2.9%
-2.3%
3.5%
4.0%
6.8%


Aberdeenshire
1.3%
1.3%
3.8%
1.7%
8.3%


Angus
2.3%
2.5%
4.1%
1.6%
6.9%


Argyll and Bute
-1.8%
-0.3%
2.9%
2.4%
7.4%


Clackmannanshire
-0.9%
0.3%
3.8%
2.1%
8.8%


Dumfries and Galloway
-0.2%
0.6%
4.8%
2.6%
7.8%


Dundee City
-0.8%
-0.6%
3.9%
2.7%
7.1%


East Ayrshire
-4.2%
3.6%
2.7%
3.7%
6.4%


East Dunbartonshire
-5.4%
2.9%
7.1%
0.9%
9.7%


East Lothian
1.1%
-0.8%
5.5%
2.7%
6.6%


East Renfrewshire
-2.9%
3.1%
8.5%
3.5%
10.4%


Edinburgh, City of
1.9%
0.1%
4.2%
1.1%
6.3%


Eilean Siar
-0.4%
2.5%
2.7%
2.3%
5.5%


Falkirk
-0.1%
2.0%
2.3%
6.4%
10.0%


Fife
-1.1%
-0.3%
4.7%
2.4%
7.6%


Glasgow City
-5.8%
0.9%
3.1%
2.1%
7.9%


Highland
-1.6%
-0.1%
4.9%
1.9%
7.6%


Inverclyde
-5.0%
-0.3%
2.0%
2.7%
6.3%


Midlothian
-2.9%
1.8%
4.1%
1.6%
10.1%


Moray
-0.3%
-0.9%
4.7%
1.3%
8.0%


North Ayrshire
-2.5%
1.5%
4.8%
3.9%
7.9%


North Lanarkshire
-5.8%
1.7%
4.4%
3.6%
8.4%


Orkney
0.6%
3.4%
2.3%
-0.3%
7.0%


Perth and Kinross
0.8%
4.3%
4.6%
2.5%
7.0%


Renfrewshire
-5.4%
1.0%
5.4%
4.7%
6.7%


Scottish Borders
-0.6%
0.2%
4.9%
3.0%
6.6%


Shetland
15.8%
0.2%
2.0%
1.9%
6.9%


South Ayrshire
-2.1%
0.7%
6.3%
0.0%
6.8%


South Lanarkshire
-5.3%
-0.1%
5.8%
3.6%
7.9%


Stirling
1.7%
-2.2%
6.0%
0.9%
9.4%


West Dunbartonshire
-7.7%
-0.4%
4.3%
2.5%
9.7%


West Lothian
-0.2%
1.4%
4.7%
1.7%
7.3%



  

 
2001-02 to
2002-03
2002-03 to
2003-04
2003-04 to
2004-05
2004-05 to
2005-06


Scotland
11.3%
8.5%
5.3%
5.4%


Aberdeen City
12.6%
8.5%
4.7%
4.9%


Aberdeenshire
13.0%
9.3%
6.5%
5.2%


Angus
14.5%
9.1%
5.3%
6.8%


Argyll and Bute
12.1%
9.1%
6.7%
5.1%


Clackmannanshire
11.2%
9.4%
4.4%
5.3%


Dumfries and Galloway
11.7%
9.3%
6.4%
5.2%


Dundee City
10.7%
7.8%
4.3%
4.7%


East Ayrshire
11.5%
8.4%
5.1%
5.6%


East Dunbartonshire
12.4%
9.6%
7.1%
5.7%


East Lothian
13.4%
9.9%
6.6%
6.5%


East Renfrewshire
13.9%
8.8%
8.8%
9.1%


Edinburgh, City of
13.1%
9.0%
4.4%
5.0%


Eilean Siar
6.4%
6.3%
5.1%
4.4%


Falkirk
11.3%
8.9%
6.3%
6.2%


Fife
10.9%
9.9%
6.7%
5.9%


Glasgow City
8.9%
6.6%
3.4%
3.9%


Highland
12.9%
8.0%
6.1%
5.5%


Inverclyde
11.1%
8.8%
4.2%
4.9%


Midlothian
10.3%
10.7%
6.9%
6.0%


Moray
10.7%
9.4%
7.3%
5.3%


North Ayrshire
11.2%
8.6%
4.4%
6.3%


North Lanarkshire
10.2%
8.4%
4.4%
6.2%


Orkney
7.2%
6.9%
5.9%
4.8%


Perth and Kinross
14.3%
10.1%
6.3%
5.8%


Renfrewshire
11.1%
9.5%
4.7%
6.1%


Scottish Borders
13.5%
9.2%
5.5%
5.6%


Shetland
6.4%
6.9%
5.6%
3.9%


South Ayrshire
13.2%
8.7%
4.5%
6.8%


South Lanarkshire
11.4%
8.2%
5.3%
6.1%


Stirling
13.0%
9.1%
6.3%
5.7%


West Dunbartonshire
9.5%
8.2%
4.0%
5.7%


West Lothian
11.1%
9.1%
7.5%
5.9%



  Percentage Changes in Band D Council Tax

  

 
1996-97 to
1997-98
1997-98 to
1998-99
1998-99 to
1999-2000
1999-00 to
2000-01
2000-01 to
2001-02


Scotland
10.7%
5.5%
2.7%
4.4%
4.9%


Aberdeen City 
10.0%
11.5%
3.7%
6.1%
6.9%


Aberdeenshire
8.8%
8.1%
3.5%
8.1%
10.0%


Angus
3.0%
4.4%
3.5%
5.0%
6.5%


Argyll and Bute
18.7%
10.0%
0.0%
6.5%
4.9%


Clackmannanshire
8.8%
10.4%
4.9%
4.7%
4.2%


Dumfries and Galloway
21.0%
2.4%
4.8%
6.7%
4.9%


Dundee City 
14.9%
7.6%
4.4%
2.1%
-0.9%


East Ayrshire
9.1%
5.1%
3.6%
3.5%
4.9%


East Dunbartonshire
15.4%
2.5%
5.1%
0.0%
5.0%


East Lothian
8.1%
5.0%
3.8%
8.7%
6.0%


East Renfrewshire
9.8%
6.9%
4.9%
5.9%
6.0%


Edinburgh, City of 
3.1%
3.6%
2.5%
2.9%
4.9%


Eilean Siar
8.9%
9.5%
5.0%
5.1%
5.7%


Falkirk
9.0%
2.8%
2.9%
5.3%
7.4%


Fife
7.6%
3.2%
4.9%
4.9%
4.9%


Glasgow City 
22.0%
9.4%
0.0%
1.9%
2.4%


Highland
9.2%
8.0%
2.9%
5.0%
6.0%


Inverclyde
9.1%
3.9%
2.9%
5.1%
8.5%


Midlothian
19.5%
4.0%
4.9%
2.9%
3.9%


Moray
7.3%
7.2%
3.6%
8.6%
4.9%


North Ayrshire
8.8%
4.6%
4.9%
4.9%
6.0%


North Lanarkshire
3.8%
3.2%
3.9%
3.8%
3.5%


Orkney Islands 
7.3%
15.5%
4.9%
10.6%
9.3%


Perth and Kinross
4.7%
0.0%
3.6%
4.9%
10.1%


Renfrewshire
6.1%
0.0%
0.0%
8.0%
5.9%


Scottish Borders
9.7%
4.4%
4.9%
8.2%
8.3%


Shetland Islands
9.7%
14.8%
11.3%
10.1%
9.2%


South Ayrshire
4.7%
3.5%
0.0%
5.1%
5.0%


South Lanarkshire
9.5%
8.3%
2.4%
2.4%
2.6%


Stirling
14.5%
0.8%
4.7%
9.9%
6.0%


West Dunbartonshire
20.4%
3.4%
-3.0%
1.8%
2.5%


West Lothian
16.8%
4.7%
3.5%
3.5%
3.5%



  

 
2001-02 to
2002-03
2002-03 to
2003-04
2003-04 to
2004-05
2004-05 to
2005-06


Scotland
4.5%
3.9%
4.4%
3.9%


Aberdeen City 
5.0%
4.0%
8.6%
4.9%


Aberdeenshire
7.5%
5.1%
5.0%
5.0%


Angus
7.3%
5.9%
5.6%
5.3%


Argyll and Bute
2.5%
2.5%
4.0%
3.9%


Clackmannanshire
2.8%
1.7%
4.8%
3.0%


Dumfries and Galloway
4.9%
3.6%
3.5%
2.5%


Dundee City 
3.2%
0.9%
4.2%
4.0%


East Ayrshire
4.9%
4.9%
4.9%
4.9%


East Dunbartonshire
5.0%
5.6%
6.9%
4.4%


East Lothian
5.0%
4.0%
5.0%
2.5%


East Renfrewshire
5.9%
4.9%
5.0%
5.0%


Edinburgh, City of 
4.3%
4.0%
4.0%
4.0%


Eilean Siar
6.5%
6.4%
5.1%
4.9%


Falkirk
6.2%
5.0%
5.0%
5.1%


Fife
4.9%
4.9%
3.5%
3.4%


Glasgow City 
1.9%
1.9%
1.9%
2.4%


Highland
5.6%
5.3%
5.1%
4.5%


Inverclyde
4.9%
2.5%
5.0%
2.9%


Midlothian
3.5%
3.5%
5.0%
4.4%


Moray
4.9%
4.9%
9.8%
4.9%


North Ayrshire
5.7%
5.4%
4.9%
4.9%


North Lanarkshire
3.5%
3.5%
3.5%
3.5%


Orkney Islands 
9.3%
9.2%
4.4%
3.5%


Perth and Kinross
7.0%
5.0%
5.5%
4.9%


Renfrewshire
5.0%
5.0%
5.2%
5.0%


Scottish Borders
10.1%
8.2%
5.3%
3.5%


Shetland Islands
8.4%
7.8%
7.2%
4.8%


South Ayrshire
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%


South Lanarkshire
2.5%
2.5%
3.5%
3.5%


Stirling
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
4.0%


West Dunbartonshire
2.5%
1.9%
1.8%
2.2%


West Lothian
3.5%
3.5%
4.5%
4.5%

Council Tax

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20144 by George Lyon on 9 November 2005, whether it will estimate what the total cost to it would be of making all pensioners wholly exempt from paying council tax with the proviso that any such estimate is a speculative one.

George Lyon: Council tax is levied on households. Estimates of the costs of making pensioners exempt from paying council tax will vary according to how exemptions are applied.

  For example, treating pensioners as "disregarded adults" for the purpose of council tax would give households made up solely of pensioners a 50% discount, but would give no benefit to households comprising two or more non-pensioners and one or more non-pensioners. Alternatively, making "pensioner households" completely exempt from council tax requires a rigorous definition of whether only households containing only pensioners should be exempt, whether any household containing at least one adult of pensionable age should be exempt, or whether some more complicated set of qualifying households should be defined.

  Furthermore, such policy changes would significantly alter the taxable base within each local authority, and some areas have a greater proportion of pensioners than others. In order to ensure that other taxpayers in the local authority were not subsidising the cost of the exemptions, an annual adjustment to the local government settlement would have to be undertaken to reimburse councils for the costs of the exemptions. This would be a significant administrative burden, and would have to be repeated each year as the population demographics change.

  Finally, a significant number of households who might be affected by such policy changes will be in receipt of council tax benefit, paid for by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Making pensioners or pensioner households exempt from council tax would therefore result in a saving to the DWP, and a loss of income to local authorities. Information on the household composition of Scottish households currently in receipt of council tax benefit is not held by the Scottish Executive.

  Given the many policy options, therefore, it is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the total cost.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made towards assisting the fishing fleet cope with rising fuel costs and to what extent the impact of such costs has been investigated.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is in regular dialogue with the Scottish fishing industry on various issues including fuel costs. We monitor fuel costs alongside other costs in partnership with the Seafish Industry Authority through the fleet forecast work it undertakes.

  The industry benefits from longstanding arrangements which remove the duty which would otherwise be paid on fuel oil. The Scottish Executive is co-funding a long-term project, being undertaken by the Sea Fish Industry Authority (SEAFISH) to identify ways in which the industry might reduce its dependency on fuel oil.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ensure that fishing quotas are held by, and benefit only, active fishermen, rather than retired or shore-based former fishermen; how many fishermen are currently allocated quotas but no longer possess a fishing vessel licence, and how much quota is held in each of these instances.

Ross Finnie: There are a number of important issues to be examined during the course of the quota management change programme which commenced earlier this year. No decisions have yet been taken on the specific changes needed. That will only happen after in-depth consultation of the options in consultation with stakeholders. One of the main issues under consideration relates to quota entitlement, trading arrangements and the allocation of quota.

  Quotas are allocated to fish producer organisation to manage on behalf of fisheries administrations and it is their responsibility to allocate quota amongst the vessels in their membership. Current figures suggest that the amount of quota held by non-active fishermen is falling and currently stands at around 5% of the total FQA (fixed quota allocation) units available to the UK fleet.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many deaths it estimates obesity will be a contributory factor over the next 10 years.

George Lyon: No such estimate has been made.

Hospitals

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operating theatres there are in Glasgow Royal Infirmary, broken down by speciality.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operating theatres there are in Gartnavel Hospital, broken down by speciality.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operating theatres there are in the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, broken down by speciality.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operating theatres there are in the Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow, broken down by speciality.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operating theatres there are in Stobhill Hospital, broken down by speciality.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operating theatres there are in the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, broken down by speciality.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the total number of operating theatres for each acute hospital in Glasgow is shown in the table. Information is not available centrally on the number of operating theatres by specialty.

  

Hospital
Number of Operating Theatres


Glasgow Royal Infirmary
24


Gartnavel Hospital
12


Southern General Hospital
19


Victoria Infirmary
7


Stobhill Hospital
12


Western Infirmary, Glasgow
7



  Source: Scottish Health Service Costs, year ended 31st March 2005.

International Development

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any steps have been taken to build links between Scotland’s energy sector and Africa in respect of capacity building and international development and, if so, what these steps are.

Patricia Ferguson: The First Minister officially handed over a Scottish and Southern Energy "Sustainable Energy Module" to the President of Malawi during his recent visit to Scotland. The Module harnesses wind and solar energy and can be used as a vaccination centre, a birthing clinic or a teacher development clinic.

  However, the priorities for the Scottish Executive’s International Development Policy are health, education and civil society development. Therefore, we have not taken any steps to build long-term links between Scotland’s energy sector and Africa.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) NHS and (b) GP budgets will move to the private sector as a result of the introduction of pharmacist prescribing.

Lewis Macdonald: The introduction of pharmacist prescribing on the NHS will not change existing budget arrangements. At present prescribing costs are linked to the relevant prescribing GP practice and it is likely that pharmacist prescribing costs will be linked to the relevant community pharmacy.

  As with general medical practitioners, community pharmacists are independent contractors who are not employed by the NHS but contracted by NHS boards to provide NHS services.

Nursing

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on the provision and employment of locum practice nurses.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive Health Department has issued the Nationally Co-ordinated Nurse Bank Arrangements – Report and Action Plan  (2005) which applies to the provision and employment of locum/bank practice nurses.

Nursing

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for ensuring that locum practice nurses are available in every NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is no one body responsible for ensuring that locum/bank practice nurses are available in every NHS board area. NHS boards work with general practitioners to ensure that locum/bank practice nurses are available.

Nursing

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive why Nationally Co-ordinated Nurse Bank Arrangements: Report and Action Plan , published earlier this year, did not address bank nurse cover for practice nurses.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Nationally Co-ordinated Nurse Bank Arrangements Report and Action Plan does incorporate bank nurse cover for practice nurses. A sample of practice nurses were issued questionnaires during the data collection phase of the project and the results were included in the final report and recommendations.

  One of the key recommendations from the Nationally Co-ordinated Nurse Bank Arrangements Report and Action Plan is that "the organisation of nurse banks will be consolidated to NHS board level." It is expected that these board area banks will address cover for practice nurses.

Nursing

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring the implementation of its Framework for Nursing in General Practice, published earlier this year.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Framework for Nursing in General Practice, which was published in October 2004, was developed in partnership with nursing and medical professionals organisations and practice nurses from across Scotland. It was intended to provide a resource to practices and practice nurses in the safe and effective development of nursing in general practice. The framework sets out a series of standards and supporting good practice guidance for practices, to enable them to effectively develop and support their nursing staff in the challenging environment of modern primary care.

  Practices will not be assessed against the standards in any formal way, although it is recognised that individual practices may find it helpful to self assess against the standards as part of their own development plans.

  Plans are underway to develop the post of a National Co-ordinator for Practice Nursing in Scotland. The National Coordinator will be responsible for developing a national network for practice nursing, a website that provides a forum for identifying and sharing learning and support the development of local systems and structures. Local network co-ordinators in each health board area will also be identified.

Nursing

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the training of practice nurses.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is currently a Specialist Practice Education programme in general practice nursing which is a degree level programme. The Framework for Nursing in General Practice encourages learning and personal development through the use of, amongst other things, personal development plans and encouraging protected time for learning.

  Plans are underway to develop the post of a National Co-ordinator for Practice Nursing in Scotland. The National Coordinator will be responsible for developing a national network for practice nursing, a website that provides a forum for identifying and sharing learning and support the development of local systems and structures. Local network co-ordinators in each health board area will also be identified.

Nursing

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many practice nurses will be trained in the next five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Pre-registration education prepares nurses for initial practice. The commissioning of the Practice Nurse Specialist Practitioner Qualification is not undertaken centrally. This is carried out locally within health board areas, higher education institutions and NHS National Education for Scotland.

  Although practice nurses remain the employees of individual practices, who have responsibility to ensure that their employees have the necessary educational qualifications, there is an important role that NHS boards and Community Health Partnerships can play in supporting practice nursing development.

  The Framework for Nursing in General Practice actively supports and encourages practice nurses to engage in learning activities. This may take the form of various modes of learning, for example, in house education programmes or formal training courses.

  NHS Education for Scotland has developed competencies in a range of areas directly relevant to practice nurses. For example, ophthalmic nursing and dermatology nursing.

Prison Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19934 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005 and in light of Rule 86(2) a and b of the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 1994 which states that "an officer may, where he suspects that the visitor may have concealed anything which may be prejudicial to security, good order or safety, ask the visitor to consent to a search", why the contract with Premier Prison Services Limited in respect of HM Prison Kilmarnock requires a random rub-down search of one-in-three visitors as a minimum and whether this random search is carried out at any other prison in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
The contract makes no provision for the number of rub-down searches. Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 32 (S.1) changed Rule 86. Searches of visitors are carried out at all prisons in Scotland.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17042 by Cathy Jamieson on 17 June 2005, whether it considers that a system which places the onus on the contractor to report any of its own contractual failings is the best system by which to ensure that contractual failures are brought to light.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  
Yes. The SPS also have a controller team whose role includes keeping the running of the prison under review.

Schools

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to strengthen discipline in schools.

Peter Peacock: Since the publication of Better Behaviour–Better Learning in 2001 the Scottish Executive has provided £10 million a year to education authorities to help them implement the 36 recommendations concerning policy and practice on discipline in schools and education authorities.

  In January 2005, a further £34 million was made available over four years, from 2005–09, to enable education authorities to deploy additional support staff and home-school link workers in schools to help tackle indiscipline and promote positive behaviour.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive is working in partnership with education authorities in Scotland which are piloting new approaches to school development, staff development and pupils’ learning to help promote positive behaviour. These include:

  
Whole school approaches to promoting positive behaviour - Solution Oriented Schools in Moray; Motivated Schools in East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, East Lothian and Orkney; Restorative Practices in Fife, Highland and North Lanarkshire.
Staff development – Developing Empathy in City of Edinburgh; Staged Intervention (Framework for Intervention) in 23 education authorities.
Pupils’ learning – Being Cool in School in Fife, and teacher resources to support inclusive practice for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties developed by Barnardo’s.


  All of these approaches are being disseminated nationally through training for trainers programmes and consultancy support by lead authorities.

Schools

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students truanted from schools in the (a) West Dunbartonshire (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area in each year since 2001.

Peter Peacock: For the academic year 2003-04 there were an estimated 1,010 pupils (7%) from West Dunbartonshire schools who were recorded as truanting at least once during the year.

  For the academic year 2003-04 there were an estimated 740 pupils (4%) from East Dunbartonshire schools who were recorded as truanting at least once during the year.

  Before 2003-04 attendance and absence statistics were not collected at pupil level, therefore it is not possible to provide these figures for earlier years.

Sport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many third generation artificial playing pitches have been built in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Patricia Ferguson: This information is not held centrally.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Data Protection Act 1998

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it considers that the release of street names in members’ travel claim forms, where the destination is a home visit to a constituent, breaches confidentiality between the constituent and the member and whether the provision of such information is in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Duncan McNeil: The SPCB recognises the need for confidentiality and trust between an MSP and a constituent. Where a street number and name are known to be that of a constituent, the SPCB would redact the number but leave the street name. If the street contained only two houses both the number and street name would be redacted. The SPCB relies on members to advise parliamentary officials as it would not be self-evident whether an address is that of a constituent or a business address.

  In deciding what information to release on allowances, the SPCB seeks to act within the provisions of the relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act.

  The member will also be aware that the SPCB has created a joint member/official working party which can consider a range of issues, including this, in accordance with the approved remit and to make recommendations to the SPCB.